Kael walked back to the village with his usual calm demeanor, the air thick with the lingering remnants of magic pollution, a faint buzz in the atmosphere as it steadily worsened the M.P. around the village. He didn’t feel any particular unease, though. He’d faced far worse than this in his time, and the consequences, while real, were not his to fret over. What mattered was what came next. The village came into view, the small wooden structures nestled against the edge of the dense forest. The elders had already gathered, their angry voices cutting through the air as Kael approached. He had expected this. The explosion of the boar in the high-M.P. zone had made the magic pollution around the village even more unbearable, and now, they were ready to let him know just how unhappy they were about it. "You fool!" one of the elders snapped, her face twisted in anger. "Do you know how much worse the M.P. is now? You’ve made everything even more unstable!" Kael met the elder's gaze without flinching. His face remained unreadable, but there was a calm certainty in his eyes. "The boar ran into the M.P. zone on its own," he replied, his voice steady. "I didn’t force it." Another elder, grumbling in frustration, waved his hands as if to dismiss Kael’s words. "That doesn’t change the fact that you killed it there! Now the M.P. around the village is worse, and we’ll have to deal with the fallout!" Kael didn’t react to their anger. He knew their words were born from fear and frustration. Their concern was understandable—no one wanted the M.P. to spill over, affecting crops and livelihoods—but Kael had done his job, and that was the end of it. The village chief, a wise figure whose voice carried authority, stood up to address the elders’ growing fury. His calm voice cut through the chaos, silencing the room. "Enough," he said, raising a hand. "Yes, the M.P. around the village is worse now, but the boar is dead, and we still have food. We’ll adapt. Kael, though you’ve caused more M.P. to seep into the area, you’ve done your part. The village needs the food, so we’ll give you one-third of your payment. But in return, you’ll have three days before you must leave." Kael simply nodded, his expression still neutral. He wasn’t bothered by the reduced payment; he was used to this kind of reaction. He wasn’t here for approval or accolades. He had a job to do, and that was all that mattered. "Understood," he said softly, turning to leave. He didn’t need to hear the rest of their complaints. The deal was made, and he had no interest in staying in the village any longer than necessary. Kael didn’t feel the burden of the village’s anger weighing on him—not in the way others might have. Instead, he moved with purpose toward his favorite place in the village, a small eatery known for its pork dishes. It was a quiet refuge after a long, tiring task. The chef there, once a skilled hunter himself, had always prepared food that Kael enjoyed. When Kael entered the familiar shop, the warm air, thick with the aroma of cooked meat, washed over him. The smell was comforting, grounding him in the moment. The chef, an older man with graying hair and a kind smile, greeted him with a nod. "Ruden always said you'd come by after a tough job," the chef remarked, his voice warm and casual as he readied a knife. "What happened this time? You look like you’ve seen better days." Kael slid into a seat at the counter, his gaze distant as he spoke. "The elders are angry," he said flatly. "The boar exploded in a high-M.P. zone. The village will suffer for it. They’ve given me one-third of the payment and told me to leave in three days." The chef shook his head in mock sympathy. "Ha, it's your fault for killing the boar in a high-M.P. area. If you’d taken it outside, it would’ve exploded without all this extra mess." Kael glanced up, his tone dry. "It wasn’t me. The boar ran there itself. You can’t change the past, can you?" The chef let out a laugh, his eyes twinkling with amusement. "You’re right about that. Can’t change it now. But we can at least eat well while we’re here, right?" Kael nodded, leaning back as the chef prepared the meal. For a moment, he allowed himself to relax. Life wasn’t easy, and the future was uncertain, but for now, there was food—and that was enough.After Kael’s report to the elders, which had left him with little but frustration and a reduced payout, he sought solace in his favorite spot—Ruden’s small shop, where the aroma of grilled pork wafted through the air, reminding Kael of simpler times. As he walked in, the familiar creak of the door sounded, and Ruden, with his usual half-smile, greeted him from behind the counter. Ruden was a man of simple pleasures—pork, a good drink, and the occasional hunt. His knife skills were legendary, not just from his work in the kitchen, but also his years as a hunter before he’d settled into his current role. Kael had always appreciated Ruden’s pragmatic approach to life, even if the older man’s advice often came with a fair share of mockery. Kael sat down at the counter, his usual quiet demeanor hiding the frustration he felt. He stared at his half-empty plate of food before he finally spoke. “I’ve got nothing left. The elders are pissed, I’ve got barely any coin, and this place—” He gestured around at the modest restaurant, “—is the only place I feel like I’m not losing.” Ruden let out a laugh, shaking his head. “Ha! It’s your fault for killing the boar in such a high M.P. area. If you’d done it outside, you wouldn’t be in this mess. But hey, can’t change the past now, can we?” Kael simply sighed, running a hand through his hair. “True enough. But it still doesn’t change what’s going to happen next.” Ruden paused, his playful grin vanishing as he eyed Kael for a moment, sensing his frustration. Then, after a long silence, he spoke again. "You know, I might have something that could make us both some money." Kael raised an eyebrow, intrigued despite himself. “What are you talking about?” “Well,” Ruden said, leaning in a bit closer, “a gate appeared out in the forest, and something nasty crawled out of it. Monster, big one. Dangerous. But if we kill it... well, it’s going to pay us big. Big enough to make up for your little ‘boar incident.’" Kael was immediately alert. "Where’s the gate? What kind of monster are we dealing with, and how do you know this?" Ruden’s smirk returned. “That’s none of your business. But what I can tell you is that this thing? It’s worth hunting. The payout’s huge.” Kael frowned slightly, his instincts telling him that Ruden was holding back details. He didn’t press further, however. Money was tight, and a large payout could mean survival for him and maybe even a way out of his current predicament. “Fine,” Kael said, standing up. “But if we’re going after it together, you need to tell me what we’re up against.” Ruden gave a shrug, unconcerned. “I don’t know much about it. Just that it’s tough, and the rewards are plenty. But we’ll figure it out together.” Kael’s mind worked quickly, weighing the situation. He didn’t have many choices left, and the risk seemed worth it. “Alright,” he said, pushing his plate aside. “When do we start?” Ruden’s grin widened. “Tomorrow. Meet me at the village gate in the morning.” Kael gave a curt nod. “I’ll be there.”

  The following morning, Kael and Ruden stood together at the village gate, exchanging brief nods before heading into the forest. Kael wasn’t sure what to expect from the monster they were hunting, but both of them were cautious—Ruden especially, though his usual cocky grin never fully left his face.

  They spent the morning traversing the familiar paths of the forest, searching for the mysterious gate Ruden had mentioned. However, the two hunters had no idea that they were heading directly toward the creature that would almost cost them their lives.

  Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.

  When they finally came upon the gate, it was far more imposing than they’d imagined. The air around it crackled with an unnatural energy, and the very ground beneath them seemed to pulse. Out of the gate, a massive figure stepped, its wings unfurling like a dark omen against the daylight.

  It was a bat. Enormous, its leathery wings stretched wide, creating a shadow that darkened the entire area. Its eyes glowed with an eerie crimson, and it moved with unnerving speed, the air around it humming with deadly intent.

  “What the hell is that?!” Kael asked, his voice low.

  Ruden just laughed, though it held a hint of uncertainty. “Guess that’s our target, huh?”

  At that moment, the battle began.

  The first encounter was chaotic and disorganized. Kael and Ruden had no real plan other than survival and a vague hope that they could bring the creature down together. They learned quickly that working together wasn’t as easy as it seemed. Kael launched his thread-based attacks, using his magic to ensnare the bat and trap its movements. But Ruden, wielding his blades with precision, unknowingly cut through Kael’s threads whenever he tried to entangle the creature, disrupting the plan. The bat was fast, its movements unpredictable, and it evaded most of their attacks while retaliating viciously with sharp claws and teeth.

  In the midst of the fight, Kael’s threads got tangled up in Ruden’s strikes, creating a series of close calls that made both of them grit their teeth. They argued briefly, but both knew they couldn’t afford to waste time. They were barely managing to avoid being overwhelmed.

  “Watch what you're doing!” Kael snapped, pulling back after another near-miss.

  “Me? You’re the one with the damn strings everywhere!” Ruden shot back, narrowly avoiding a swipe from the bat’s claws.

  Kael grimaced, but he didn’t have time to get angry. “Just... keep it busy. I’ve got a plan!”

  The bat, distracted by Ruden’s attacks, charged at Kael. Without hesitation, Kael threw his threads at the creature, his magic activating just in time. The threads unwound into a delicate, cocoon-like structure, designed like interwoven shoelaces. As the bat bit down on the threads, they unraveled, solidifying in its teeth and covering its sharp fangs, effectively locking its feeding system. The six chain spell Kael activated was no ordinary thread. The threads created were infused with the elements:

  Kinetis: A kinetic blast allows the threads to unravel when given enough force, making the bat's attempts to bite more destructive to itself.

  Solidon: This element allows the threads to solidify quickly, trapping the bat’s jaws in place when it tries to pull away.

  Slippen: The threads take on a flexible nature, making it more difficult for the bat to break them as they coil around its fangs.

  Twiriton: This element allows the threads to wrap around the bat's fangs and teeth before solidifying, making the trap more effective.

  Leighton: When touched, the threads visibly strengthen, making them harder to cut or damage and providing additional support to the entrapment.

  Limos: The threads naturally take on a symmetrical shape, which makes the overall structure of the trap more durable and evenly distributed, ensuring that the bat can’t easily escape.

  The monster screeched in frustration, trying to pull away, but Kael had already begun to retreat, knowing that this would buy them time.

  “We need to go back to the village!” Kael shouted as he ran, his eyes darting around for Ruden.

  Ruden, who had been barely holding his ground, nodded in agreement, and together, they made their way back to the village, their retreating footsteps echoing in the woods.

  Later that day, Kael and Ruden regrouped at the village. Despite their earlier failure, Kael had formulated a plan to ensure they wouldn’t make the same mistake again.

  They visited a local wood shop and ordered a small figurine of Kael, which was meticulously crafted by the village artisan. Once it was completed, they wrapped the figure onto a stick, fashioning it into something like a makeshift fishing rod.

  “Now, we just need to get the boar,” Kael explained, determination in his voice.

  Ruden, ever the skeptic, raised an eyebrow. “You’re telling me we’re going to use this stick to fight the bat?”

  Kael smirked. “No, not exactly. We’re going to use the boar.”

  The next day, Kael and Ruden made their way into the forest again, this time with a clearer purpose. Their target: a mammoth horned boar. Kael had a plan, and this time, it was calculated.

  They didn’t want to kill the boar. They just needed to control it.

  With some effort, they managed to mount the boar, and Kael directed it toward the bat’s cave. As they approached, they placed the Kael figurine in front of the boar, hoping to trick it.

  The boar, thinking it was Kael, charged after the figure. Ruden and Kael, riding on its back, guided it forward, pushing it deeper into the forest, closer to the bat’s lair. The boar continued running, its massive frame charging ahead with little regard for the world around it.

  When they arrived at the bat’s cave, the weakened creature still tried to attack, but it was slow and disoriented. Kael and Ruden wasted no time. They leaped off the boar’s back, and Kael launched a dagger straight at the bat.

  The boar, however, was in a high M.P. zone, and as it died, it exploded with violent force. The explosion was timed perfectly, hitting the bat just as it was still recovering from its earlier injuries. The bat was caught in the blast, taking the full brunt of the M.P. shockwave, which killed it almost instantly.

  Kael and Ruden scavenged what they could from the bat’s remains, but as the M.P. pollution began to fill the area, they realized they had to leave quickly. The high concentration of magic was dangerous, and neither of them had much time before they too would succumb to the effects of the pollution.

  They grabbed what they could, but they didn’t linger long enough to harvest everything.

  As they fled the scene, Kael noticed the toll the M.P. was already taking on Ruden. The older man stumbled and collapsed first, the effects of the magic too strong for him to handle.

  Kael caught him in his arms, grimacing as he felt the exhaustion from the battle. He didn’t know how much longer they could keep going like this.

  “Hang on, Ruden,” Kael muttered, holding his friend close as he began the long trek back to the village.

  Ruden barely responded, too weak to speak, but Kael knew that they had to make it back, or everything they had just fought for would be for nothing.

  When suddenly kael noticed a mark on his hand it has its own magic core like it's a magic weapon

  ...

  The bat named sanguinor is a bat that evolved in an area with very large predators so it evolved to be big itself but due to a genetic disorder it's heart didn't grow along with it not allowing blood to properly circulate throughout it's body and instead of making it's heart bigger nature decided to give it multiple hearts 3 specifically but it had a genetic disorder so in the process of gaining 3 hearts it lost it's stomach so the only way to gain proteins was to suck other creature's blood to do so it developed multiple rows of needle like teeth that are hollow and have holes in them to suck blood

  ...

  The chain system is a system in which multiple elements are combined to cast a spell.these elements aren't single atoms but compound molecules.these elements are named mostly on their function when they actually are part of the periodic table.atomic number in this world is the amount of chains a single element can go up before changing completely.while valence number is the fusion power of an element the higher the valence number the harder it is to combine these elements